Frozen Love
by LextenceSurround
Summary: Just read it.


Frozen Love

The night of the fire, I lost everything. My family , my home, and my life or what was left of it. The fire started because somebody decided to be stupid and throw a cigarette away by a pile of dry wood. 'It lit instantly,' the Sherriff said after the flames died down that night. My adoptive mother, Agatha, and her husband Charles died. So did their little child. Her name was Lilly, like the flower. She was only 5 years old, and we were just becoming friends. I was the only one that wasn t blood related in the house. I also have a secret that I ve had to keep for years, and it scared me to think that someone might have found out about it.

I'm a Vampire.

I live a normal life now, or as close to normal as I can get. I live in a quaint little town, right outside of Greenlee County, Arizona. I work in a little Caf , and I get good pay. I ve lived alone, ever since the fire. I haven t gotten close to anyone since. It s been too painful. Customers drift in and out of the caf all day, in a soothing lull most of the time. The most taunting thing is the fact that I listen to the customers' blood flowing as I work, which makes my job keeping my secret harder. I work in the back, preparing coffee and snacks for the people to buy. Mostly, we get traveling customers, so they don t usually stay for very long. But, there is one person in particular that comes every day. His name is Josh. The only reason I remember his face is because of his striking blue eyes, and jet black hair. And he always orders the same thing. Now, I m working at the register this morning, which is unusual for my job. I hear the ding of our door as a customer walks in, and I see that it s Josh. Hello, what can I do for you today, Josh? is my automatic response as he walks up to the counter to order.

"I'd just like the usual. White chocolate caramel macchiato and a poppy seed muffin, please." He says, locking eyes with mine. I look away from his piercing gaze.

"Sure thing. That'll be 5.75, please." He hands me the cash and goes to the far counter to wait for his drink. I m the only one working today, since it s a Sunday. As I prepare his drink, I hear the soft shuffling of footsteps behind the counter. I look behind me, and see that it s Josh, getting the muffin that he ordered. Stupid me for forgetting about it. Finishing making his drink, I return to the counter and hand him the beverage. "Thanks, Alex." he says, and walks behind the counter. He does the most unexpected thing I would ever think of him doing.

Josh kissed me.  
>My eyes widen, and I can taste the coffee on his lips. He wraps his arms around my waist, closing his eyes. My first kiss, and to a boy that I barely know. He lingers, and then lets me go, standing up straight once again. My fangs slip out of my gums as I listen to his soft heartbeat, and then will them back to their hiding place as I realize what just happened. "Thanks for the coffee, Alex. I ll see you tomorrow, okay?" is all he says to me, before walking out the door and into the warm summer air. I have to catch my breath, and try to wrap my head around the events that just occurred. Josh just kissed me. A boy, for pesta's sake. Why would he kiss me, though? As I clean the coffee instruments for closing, my mind wonders as to why. After I clean all the machines, I put up the closing sign, and head for home, which isn't far from here. When I get home, I throw my bag on the coat rack and flop down onto the couch. I didn t notice, but I dozed off for a couple hours, only to be startled awake by a knock at the door. "Come in!" I shout at the door.<p>

And, to my surprise, Josh walks in. "J-Josh? How did you know where I lived?" I ask, sitting up. Of course, I'm startled.

"You left this in my hand when I kissed you, so I came to give it back. I had to ask your boss where you lived, though."He said, holding out his hand. In it was the one thing that tied me to my real world, my mother s ring. My eyes widen as I look down at my right hand where it always is. _How did it come off?_ I think to myself.

"When I kissed you, you pushed on my hands, and the ring slipped off. I didn t notice it till I left the shop. I swear, I m not a stalker." He says defensively.

"No, no, I believe you. Thank you for returning it to me." I say, reaching for the precious item. He yanks his hand back, a small smile playing on his lips.

" You have to kiss me again, unless you want it back." The tall black haired man states, his small smile now an all out grin. He s playing with the ring in his left hand now, slipping it on and off of his pinkie finger. It wasn't until now that I realized how handsome he really was. He was about 6 2 , with a slender-muscled frame. Josh was well proportioned, from his head to his feet. His face was very refined, with stunning Blue eyes. They were the color of pure snow crystals. His hair, in comparison, was completely black. It was short and scruffy, which poked out here and there, and it hung in front of his face. On his neck he wore a loose necklace with a ring of its own dangling on the end. "F-fine. But you have to promise me that you re going to give it back to me." I stuttered, glaring at my ring.

"Promise." Josh replies, leaning down and planting yet another kiss on my lips. They were warm and soft, and they tasted like mint lip balm. The taste of coffee had long worn off, which I found strangely disappointing. He flicks his tongue into my mouth, which triggers an automatic reaction from my fangs. They slip out, piercing his tongue. He yanks back, but not before I taste his blood, warm and sweet. I realize I haven t fed in days, and I m suddenly famished.

"What the heck are those?" he asks, worried. He s staring at me as I try to regain my composure, but with little success. He s about to become my next meal. Poor josh is in the perfect position too, his neck artery slightly protruding. My fangs slip further out, only to come in contact with Josh s skin as he pushes his wrist up to my mouth, shielding himself from my frontal attack. I instinctively bite down, piercing his skin, blood welling up from the wound. I gulp down mouthfuls, pressing his wrist to my mouth with my hands. He stares in shock as he watches me feed from him, growing more and more tired with each mouthful of blood. Please ..stop josh manages to murmur at me. I gasp in realization as to what I just did. I bit Josh. I let him go, only for him to slump to the ground, lightheaded from all the blood loss. I-I m so sorry! I say, helping him up, half carrying, half helping him to the couch. He slumps down onto it, groaning from the lightheadedness. He s now unconscious. I sit on my knees in front of him, worried. By now, my fangs have slipped back into their hiding place. After about 5 minutes, josh wakes up.

"So you re a vampire? Josh asks groggily, sitting up to look at me. My head is bowed, staring at the floor. "Yes, I m a vampire. But nobody is supposed to know that." I reply, finally mustering up enough courage to look at him. "I have a question. Why did you kiss me at the cafe?"

"Ever since you started working there, I ve noticed you. The way you handle the customers, and how you make the drinks. I just haven t gotten enough courage until earlier to kiss you. And it was the perfect time, since it was just you and me." He says, slightly timid.

"Oh. I see." I reply. I fiddle with my hands, which Josh suddenly envelopes with his own. I feel something being placed in my hands, and I know exactly what it is. The ring, which I ve held onto since the fire that consumed my newfound life. The ring, for some reason, that always brings back memories from before the fire. And for some strange reason, I sometimes see a woman. A fair-skinned, blonde haired, green eyed woman. It seems i was in a crib, because she reached down and picked my up gingerly, holding me in her arms like a small cradle. She's colder, like me, and I hear her speaking, but I can t tell what she s saying. There s another voice next to her, but I can t tell who or what it is either. It all seems so familiar.

"What s wrong?" Josh asks, his hands now intertwined with mine. I looked down, shifting my fingers so they wouldn't hurt in his grip.

"Nothing, don t worry about it. Just remembering stuff from when I was a kid, that s all." I reply distantly, pulling my hands gently out of his to slip the ring back onto its rightful place. I help Josh stand, checking the place where I bit him to make sure it wasn t still bleeding. Thankfully, it wasn t. I take his bitten wrist gently in my hand, licking it softly. I ve heard that vampire saliva can heal a small wound, like a bite. I now know that the rumor is true from watching the licked bite mark suddenly close itself up in less than a minute. "Feel any pain, Josh?" I ask curiously.

"None at all, thanks to whatever you just did." He replies, looking at his wrist with curiosity. His eyes widened, mouth agape as he stuttered to form words. "The bite gone?" i chuckle, watching him freak out.

"Have you ever heard the old wives tale that vampire saliva can heal a small wound? Well, I licked the bite, and it healed. So I guess the old wives tale isn t as fake as some people think." I state, still staring at the now closed up bite mark on Josh s wrist.

He takes my free hand, stroking it gently with his thumb. "Just to let you know, I don t hate you. I think that you being a vampire is awesome, as a matter of fact. But I do have one question," Josh asks, a slight glint in his eye.

"And what is your request, valiant knight?" I respond sarcastically.

"Will you go out with me?"

I stare dumbfounded at him. "b-b-but edya heh?"

"I like you, Alex. I ve liked you ever since you served me my coffee at the caf for the first time. You do know that, don t you? And you like me I can tell so I asked you."

"Do you REALLY like me?"

"Yes."

"TRULY like me?"

"Yes."

"Well then I guess it can t be helped." I say, hugging him around the chest. Sadly, his chest is all I can reach since being only 5"7' has its many disadvantages. "I ll go out with you, if that makes you happy."

He replies by enveloping me in a snuggly hug. He bends down, lifting me up to snuggle his face in the crook of my neck. I squeak in protest, moving so I can clasp my hands around his neck. He lifts his head up, only to rest his forehead against mine. I sigh softly as I realize that my one precaution not to let myself get close to anyone has slipped. I suddenly feel a sharp pain on my right shoulder, and look down to see something miraculous happening.

My shoulder s glowing.

I cry out in pain as I hurry to be rid of my t-shirt, the pain only getting worse. Josh sets me down with a worried expression on his face. _What s going on?_ I think. Once I get my t-shirt off, I stare at the now tattoo-like mark on my right shoulder. It looks like an intricate star pattern, but only half of it. Josh, take your shirt off, if you please. I say hurriedly. He does so, only to reveal the same mark on his shoulder, with a mirror effect to mine. Did that, I protest, pointing at his new mark, hurt at all? He looks at it and shrugs, apparently oblivious of it appearing. Then it dawns on me what the mark means.

A half of a whole mark means that you ve made an eternal mate.

Oh crap.

Don t ask me how I remember this meaning, but I do. And the meaning kind of scares me. To think I might be going out with him for ETERNITY, now that s a scary thought. Well, for a long time of course since he s human. I feel a pang of emptiness as I tell myself that I m not really supposed to be real. Well, in human terms I m not.

Josh looks at the new mark on my shoulder cautiously, almost as if he s analyzing it. He touches it, and I gasp from the heat as he does." Does it hurt?" he asked, worry slipping into his voice. I nod, tears flecking the corners of my eyes. He wipes them away and smiles softly to me. Of course he s trying to care for me, since apparently he s my boyfriend now. I walked to the small kitchen, grabbing a bag of peas out of the freezer and pressing it to the new 'tattoo'.

"Of course, my love. Anything you so desire I will attempt to obtain with all my power." He says, bowing deeply then sweeping me off my feet in a bridal hold. He laughs, giving me butterfly kisses. I chuckle at his act and wrap my arms around his neck so he can hold me better. Josh opens the door and sets me down, then takes my hand and leads the way to his parents house. Or should I say MANSION. Yes, Josh lives in a mansion. Surprisingly, he doesn t look or act like the snobby rich kids you see in those old movies. 'We have a small mansion,' he says, 'it s nothing compared to our country house' . To even think he has a country house is absurd, but it s believable. His parents are nice, but they re gone a lot. They re both CEO s of large companies, so I understand where they get all their money. They have a maid named Susie, and she s as sweet as can be. She s also treated like the rest of the family despite her job. When we get inside, we creep our way up the stairs since his mom is sleeping.

We reach a large door with a sign that says 'KEEP OUT' tacked to the door. "Here we are," Josh murmurs to me, opening the door as softly as possible. Once we get inside, my jaw drops to the floor. He has an enormous room, about twice as big as my apartment living room, which I thought was pretty big. Apparently not. He has one base guitar and 3 regular electric guitars signed by Def Leopard, U2, Whitesnake, and Tesla, which are all hanging up on his wall. His bed is a King, but it doesn t really make the room look small at all. The best part of his room is that it s complete with its own bathroom and kitchenette. He s decorated it to his liking, with posters of American and Japanese bands everywhere. He has a corkboard by his bed, which he keeps pictures on. As I sit on his bed, I turn to look at the pictures of when he was a kid, when he was in school, and his older brother s graduation, whom of which he says is traveling the world.

"Who s this?" I ask as I point to a small girl in a photo, about 12 years of age.

"That s my little sister." he replies solemnly. As I take a closer look, I see that the girl looks a lot like Josh.

"Where is she?"

"Dead. She was killed in a car accident on the way home from ballet one night."

My eyes widen as I stare at the picture, then look up to see pain in Josh s eyes. I set the picture down and walk over to him, wiping fresh tears from his eyes. I stand on my tiptoes and kiss his cheek, hoping to cheer him up. And as my presumptions suggested, it did. He dries his eyes the rest of the way and smiles at me.

I look away, smiling bashfully.

At that moment, I hear Josh s dad calling us from downstairs for supper. We head downstairs to find his dad setting the table with food fit for a king. Josh s mom-I call her Vandermom because of their last name- Walks downstairs in formal evening attire, and then I realize too late that it s a formal dinner. I look down at my punk clothes and scowl at them. As I m ushered to a seat next to Josh, Vandermom speaks.

"We have a guest for dinner tonight, so please be on your best behavior." And I recognize instantly that this guest isn t an ordinary guest.

Standing straight and tall, she reaches about 5 11 . She has an air of authority and scary composure surrounding her, so she s someone I would not want to meet in a dark alley. Her hair is long and blonde, like mine, and it reaches to her hip bones. Her eyes are deep, sparkling green eyes, which tell of a hidden wisdom in their depths. I instantly recognize her as a vampire, although only josh can really read my expressions at this point. The woman and I lock eyes, and hers widen, and apparently she knows who I am. She looks like she s about to say something to me, but Vandermom interrupts.

"This is Estelle, boys. She s my Vice president at the company and she ll be joining us for dinner."

Estelle takes a seat by Vandermom, across from me. I can tell she's trying to refrain from asking me something, so we mostly eat in silence, except for the occasional chat between both me and Josh, or Vandermom and his dad. Estelle remains silent throughout the meal, which I can understand. We know each other, and we can t really say anything that would tip the parents off about us being vampires. After the meal she stands up, motioning softly for me to follow her.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to speak with Alex." She says, her voice firm.

Josh looks at me curiously, obviously asking how she knows my name. I shrug and follow her down the hall to an empty room where we can speak. After she closes the door, she slumps onto the bed and sighs deeply. Who knew my baby would be so grown up .. she mumbles mostly to herself. I sit next to her.

Who are you?

She looks at me, tears shining in her eyes. I m someone very important to you, Alex." My mind flipped back to the memory i've had since forever, and my eyes widen. "No way you're my mom. Nope. Not happening."

She stands up, hugging my tightly. "How i've missed you, my child..." she sniffles as if she's crying, and when she pulls away after a long minute, i see she's not just crying.

She's crying blood.

"A-are you ok?" I asked hastily. Estelle wipes her eyes, smearing the blood across her face as she grabs a towel and wipes the rest of the blood away.

"You didn t know? Vampires cry blood, not tears my dear. We don t have the proper inner workings to cry normally." She says, smiling softly at me.

"I've always cried normal tears, though," I reply.

"Due to your upbringing, little one. Vampires who are brought up in the human environments learn to be more like humans, and in your case some even learn how to cry like one. Although, that s very uncommon for our standards."

I lean back, taking in all the new information when I hear a knock at the door. Josh opens the door just a crack, peering inside. I motion for him to come in, and he does, sitting close to me and taking my hand.

"Is he your mate?" Estelle asks matter-of-factly. Josh blushes and I nod.

We have a mark to prove it. I say to her, moving the t-shirt sleeve so she can see the star pattern adorning my shoulder. She smiles softly, tracing it with her fingers.

It looks like your fathers mark, she says, sitting up straight once again, but the slayers got to him before he met you.


End file.
